Severance Agreement and Employment Contract Review in Albuquerque

Published by Law Office of Anita M. Kelley · Updated September 24, 2026

For people seeking information about this matter in Albuquerque and throughout New Mexico.

Anita Kelley Law reviews severance agreements and employment contracts for employees. Review before signing can help identify compensation, release, confidentiality, restrictive-covenant, cooperation, reference, and deadline provisions that affect the employee’s choices.

Items a review may address

• What compensation or benefits are offered and when they are due
• Claims the employee is being asked to release
• Confidentiality, non-disparagement, cooperation, return-of-property, and reference terms
• Noncompetition, nonsolicitation, intellectual-property, or other post-employment restrictions
• Review and revocation periods, especially for age-discrimination waivers
• Whether negotiation is practical in light of the employee’s goals and leverage

Do not assume the document is standard

The same clause can have different consequences depending on the employee’s position, claims, compensation, and future plans. Preserve the complete agreement and attachments, the offer communication, prior contracts, compensation records, and the date received.

Collect the whole proposed exchange

Keep the complete proposed agreement, every attachment, the delivery message, and earlier versions. Note the date received and any stated response date. Identify the compensation already owed separately from anything offered in exchange for the agreement, without assuming how the document resolves that question.

List the provisions you do not understand and the practical concerns affecting your decision, such as future work, references, return of property, benefits, confidentiality, or ongoing cooperation. The goal is to understand the full exchange and continuing obligations, not just the headline payment.

Request review before making the decision

An inquiry should identify the employer, type of agreement, deadline, and any existing lawyer. Do not paste the full agreement or confidential employment history into the public form. After conflict and availability screening, the firm can say whether it can consider review and how to provide the document.

Ask about the scope and terms of the proposed work, including whether it covers advice, revisions, negotiations, or a related dispute. No negotiation, extension, enforceability finding, or result is promised by this page. The firm has not agreed to protect the signing deadline merely because an inquiry was submitted.

Official information and related resources

• EEOC guidance on waivers in employee severance agreements

Common questions

Should I sign a severance agreement before legal review?

Signing can waive claims or impose continuing obligations. Review before the deadline helps an employee understand the complete exchange and decide whether to sign or negotiate.

What does a release of claims do?

A release identifies claims the employee agrees not to pursue in exchange for the promised consideration. Its scope and enforceability depend on the language and governing law.

Are age-discrimination waivers subject to special rules?

Yes. Federal law imposes specific requirements on waivers of Age Discrimination in Employment Act claims, including review and revocation provisions in covered situations.